Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is the latest narrative title from the original creators of Life Is Strange, it was released on February 18th of this year and it already has a ‘Very Positive’ review on steam. The developers have really been testing their craft as before this they had delivered, ‘Banishers: Ghost Of New Eden’ which was praised by reviewers and casual players alike for its unique mechanics. Lost Records is currently available on PS5, Xbox and PC.
A Return To Roots
Tape one of this narrative story called ‘Bloom’ begins with us playing as Swan as she meets up with her friend Autumn because of a promise they made to each other when they were several years younger. The bulk of the story takes place in recounting the events that took place in the summer of 1995 when Swan met 2 other important characters as children.
All three had become extremely close but quite suddenly they had almost stopped communicating and swore never to tell anyone about what they had uncovered. This is one of the many reasons why Swan is meeting up with Autumn to “confront” her about the events.
Finding out what happened is what we have to figure out as players, the setting may not be as similar to Life Is Strange but is unique enough to intrigue the player to continue with finding out what happened in the past and what made these friends want to almost cut off communication.
There Are Some Consistencies
As this is DONTNOD we can see that their brilliance in the dialog choices and the corresponding responses, where something actions that we did in the past do get reflected back in the present. These kinds of interactions enhance the experience and speak to how their mechanics have evolved from previous titles.
This choice of dialog is something that is always growing based on how well we explore something, selecting different options or trying to build bonds with the other characters is a core part of the gameplay and narrative.
Although there are inconsistencies such as in one scene the gang is looking for another character, Nora’s keys, after it gets determined that the keys are dangling high up against a hook, we as Swan have to find something to knock the keys down. At this point Nora comes up and still asks the question of “Have you found the keys yet?” despite it already being determined where the keys are.
Some Stunning Visuals
Since most of the gameplay is us walking around certain environments, we can see how well the graphics and detailing are done. Since the setting takes place around the 90s there are lots of items that harken back to that era that are found lying around such as VHS cassettes, old camcorders, Tube TVs etc.
The detailing on the important items we pick up look extremely detailed right down to the dust that is on them when we pick them up. The colors and lighting are phenomenal as well, altogether bringing in a breath of life in the area we are put in.
However, there is a parts of the game where there are frequent frame drops even when we as the character aren’t doing anything intensive. Another issue is with the textures popping, where it is really noticeable on close ups. These issues are frequent enough to break the immersion and take away from the experience.
Conclusion
There is enough in this first part of the story to separate it from its predecessor Life is Strange, there is a good mix of characters, a solid foundation on the narrative and helps in understanding each character’s side in the story.
While this game isn’t exactly pushing boundaries or introducing new mechanics, it certainly does entertain and presents a proper narrative full of multiple dialogue choices, detailed environments and a strong base for part 2 of the story.
Those wanting a full story will be left disappointed as part 2 called ‘Rage’ isn’t available yet, it will be released on April 15th of this year. But those wanting an adventure that gives the same feelings as Life Is Strange did will find this game a worthwhile purchase.
